“It used to be all over the world, they used to say the American dream; they made it an American nightmare for us. You work all your life doing what you supposed to do, follow the rules, and they won’t even let me sit across the street,” he said. “But, see, I follow the law; came over here because I’m gonna stay out here. I know they don’t care nothing about me. I’m a number on a board.”

He commented on the period after his appointment, saying, of Detroit’s financial situation, “I knew things were bad. It was somewhat shocking just how dire it was.” On Friday, Orr testified that filing for bankruptcy was not a condition of the job.

The trial began Wednesday and could end this week, but a decision on Detroit’s eligibility appears to be weeks away. The judge has set a Nov. 13 deadline for lawyers to file legal briefs on certain issues.